Chase the Morning

I said nothing, and he nodded to himself. ‘Kind of like devil-worship is to us, I guess – only there’s a lot more of it about. Plain voodoo, now, it’s a little wild, maybe, but its gods or spirits – loas, they’re called – they’re mostly good guys, or neutral at least. But the worst of these bokors, they worship with different rites, rites of blood and wrath. They call down different loas – real bastards, mean, destructive, maneaters, the lot. Only – funny thing, this – they’re called by pretty much the same names. As if the rites could somehow twist their natures right about. All got their good counterparts save one, and he’s the one the rites are named for – a shadowy type called Don Pedro. Not a nice guy, by all accounts.’

I started; but Jyp, still thinking hard, didn’t seem to notice. ‘So yeah, it sounds like some kind of voodoo guys turned you over. But who – or whether it had anything to do with the other night – it’s beyond me, Steve! I can’t guess. If it’d been round here now, this raid, I’d have said yeah, it might’ve been the Wolves handing out a warning – or just their little bit of fun. It’s from down that way the bastards stem, same as most of the Iskander’s cargo; and they’ll follow any god who’s as big a stinker as they are. But on the other side of town – the everyday side, the Core? Hell, no! I just can’t believe it, Steve! The Pack’d never stray so far in – never! What’s to make them? Greed, fear, those are the things drive their breed strongest, and they weren’t satisfying either one. You – can you think of anything?’

‘Not about my raid, Jyp – but about yours. And that reason for it you couldn’t figure out, remember? What if you were just meant to be window-dressing?’

This time he did choke. But when he got his breath back and the beer out of his nose I told him about my idea, and he began to nod as he listened, first excitedly, then grimly. ‘Dandy!’ he said at last. ‘Stage a burglary to cover up dirty dealings – and leave a body to make it convincing. It could be, Steve – it could well be! A bit smart for the Wolves, maybe – but even they get a rush of blood to the brain once in a while … h’mm. But if that’s so, what’s so hot about it? Didn’t come off, did it? Thanks to you. But here you’ve got yourself lathered up like a trotter –’

‘Don’t you see?’ I barked, so loud it momentarily halted the hubbub outside. I lowered my voice. ‘I’m only surprised they waited a night! Whatever they came to do, it’s still undone! Whatever was wrong with that cargo still is wrong. Something’s not there that should be, or is there when it shouldn’t be! And what’s that mean? It means ten to one they’ll come back –’

Jyp sat there a moment, silent. Then he slammed a palm against his temple making his red hair fly. ‘They had to wait a night,’ he mumbled. ‘To put the hex on you.’

‘What? But how’d they know anything about me?’

He snorted. ‘They’ve ways. Maybe you were followed – though there’s other things might’ve done that. That’s the way the Wolves’d think, okay. Couldn’t believe you’d just turned up out of the blue, no – not when you started pokin’ round after the Iskander. At least I got half a brain working – jehosaphat!’ He gulped at his beer, then straightened up.

‘Thanks, Steve – though thanks still ain’t enough. Chances are you just saved my life one more time.’ He grinned. ‘Getting t’be a habit, ain’t it? But let’s us both do some more thinking now, and quick – will they be back? Word got around about that raid, y’know. Next morning half the folks with stuff there showed up post-haste – and they checked through it all real careful on the spot, with me there. Nothing funny there. Now lemme see, what’s left? Not much. Half the flamewood – but you can’t hide things in loose planking. What else’s large enough to be hoaxed easily?’

He muttered to himself, then suddenly hissed ‘The roots! Damn great shapeless bales of them – could get anything in there!’ He began drumming again. ‘Can’t just go tearing into them to look, though. Not without the consignee being there. He’s in Damballah Alley – and that’s way the other side of the docks, up behind Baltic Quay …’

Damballah Alley? We looked at each other. Even I’d heard that name somewhere.